本科生阅读材料1

Reading theory and practiceReading theory and practiceContentsReading theory and practice1Text 1 Animal Types4Text 2 Bird Song5Text 3 Twinkle Twinkle Little Star6Text 4 Annabel Lee7Text 5 Mothers Voice8Text 6 When the Body Speaks9Text 7 The Tally Stick10Text 8 Elegy written in a country churchyard11Text 9 Poor Richards Almanac11Text 10 Some Day My Prince Will Crawl12Text 11The Mudbacks13Text 12 The Waltz14Text 13 Animal Arsenal15Text 14 An Approach to Efficient Reading17Text 15 The Age Of Rocks20Text 16 The Pump-Our Heart20Text 17 Love Your Life22Text 18 When I am dead, my dearest22Text 19 Tribute to the dog23Text 20 Nothing gold can stay24Text 21 Morning Has Broken24Text 22 The Luncheon25Text 23 The Unicorn in the Garden28Text 24 Hawk roosting29Text 25 The open window30Text 26 Romeo and Juliet (part1)33Text 27 Romeo and Juliet (part2)35Text 1 Animal TypesPre-reading Activity1. Write down the names of fifteen animals. Compare your lists to find out who knows the names of the least known animals.2. Each student suggests two idioms or proverbs based on animals.3. What is an animal?4. What are warm-blooded animals and what are cold-blooded animals?5. Give some examples of the following types of animals: Amphibians Birds Fish Mammals Arthropods Insects6. What are the sounds made by the following animals? Dog Duck Pig Lion Wolf Cat Bird Owl Horse Mouse Goose7. What do we call the babies of the following animals? Cat Dog Horse Pig Tiger Butterfly frog8How do the following animals move?Fish Snake Horse Goat KangarooTypes of AnimalsBy definition, an animal is a living thing that can move, obtain food, rid itself of waste, and reproduce. Warm-blooded animals regulate their own body temperatures; their bodies use energy to maintain a constant temperature. Cold-blooded animals depend on their surroundings to establish their body temperatures.Because there are so many animals, scientists have grouped them into categories so that they can be studied more easily. Remember, however, that there are always exceptions to any rule. The living world is a place where rules are hard to make! Here is a simplified breakdown.Amphibians have backbones, are cold-blooded, and live on land and in water at different times. Birds have backbones and feathers and lay eggs; most can fly (although penguins cannot). Fish have backbones, breathe through gills, and live in water; most are cold-blooded and lay eggs (although sharks give birth to live young). Mammals have backbones and four-chambered hearts, are warm-blooded, and are nourished by their mothers milk; most are born live (however, the platypus lays eggs).Some lesser-known animal groups are: arthropods, such as crabs, lobsters, shrimp; Insects, such as beetles, ants, bugs, butterflies; worms, such as flatworms, roundworms, and segmented worms (earthworms).Text 2 Bird SongPre-reading Questions1. What organ do birds use to make songs?2. What kind of birds likes to use songs?3. What are the functions of these songs?4. What bird can sing different songs?5. Why do many species sing most vociferously at dawn or dusk?The songs of birds are the sounds produced through a complex structure in the trachea of a bird, called the syrinx. Song is mainly used by male birds, particularly during the breeding season, and is thought to serve two main functions: to defend a territory against rival males by announcing the owners presence; and to attract potential mates. Songs of each species tend to be characteristic, enabling the experienced ornithologist to identify a species without seeing it. Bird songs vary from quite simple vocalizations to very complex displays consisting of a large repertoire of different songs, as in the song thrush. Many species may sing most vociferously at dawn or dusk when it is too dark to gather food efficiently, or when it is most important for the male to be attentive. Some species mimic the calls of others in their song, and in a few species, the male and female may produce different parts of the same song (antiphonal singing, or duetting), their split-second synchronization making it almost impossible for a listener to realize that more than one bird is involved.Text 3 Twinkle Twinkle Little StarFill in the following blanks with the most appropriate words.Twinkle, twinkle, little star,How I wonder what you are.Up above the world so high,Like a diamond in the sky.When the blazing sun is _,When he nothing shines _,Then you show your little _,Twinkle, twinkle, all the _.Then the traveler in the _,Thanks you for your tiny _He could not see which way to _,If you did not twinkle _.In the dark blue sky you _,And often through my curtains _,For you never shut your _,Till the sun is in the _.As your bright and tiny _,Lights the traveler in the _,Though I know not what you _,Twinkle, twinkle, little _.Text 4 Annabel LeeEdgar Allen PoeIt was many and many a year ago,In a kingdom by the sea,That a maiden there lived whom you may knowBy the name of ANNABEL LEE;And this maiden she lived with no other thoughtThan to love and be loved by me.I was a child and she was a child,In this kingdom by the sea;But we loved with a love that was more than love-I and my Annabel Lee;With a love that the winged seraphs of heavenCoveted her and me.And this was the reason that, long ago,In this kingdom by the sea,A wind blew out of a cloud, chillingMy beautiful Annabel Lee;So that her highborn kinsman cameAnd bore her away from me,To shut her up in a sepulcherIn this kingdom by the sea.The angels, not half so happy in heaven,Went envying her and me-Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,In this kingdom by the sea)That the wind came out of the cloud by night,Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.But our love it was stronger by far than the loveOf those who were older than we-Of many far wiser than we-And neither the angels in heaven above,Nor the demons down under the sea,Can ever dissever my soul from the soulOf the beautiful Annabel Lee.For the moon never beams without bringing me dreamsOf the beautiful Annabel Lee;And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyesOf the beautiful Annabel Lee;And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the sideOf my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,In the sepulchre there by the sea,In her tomb by the sounding sea.Text 5 Mothers VoiceAll of us were guided by our mothers voice, wisdom and common sense, even if we didnt think so at the time. Whether we remember what she said fondly, or try to forget these phrases, they are still part of us. Ultimately, without even realizing it, we pass them along to our children, who will in most likelihood pass it on to their children. Someday your face will freeze like that! What if everyone jumped off a cliff? Would you do it, too? Youre going to put your eye out with that thing!How many times do I have to tell you.dont throw things in the house!Close the door behind you - were you born in a barn?Dont put that in your mouth, you dont know where its been. Why? Because I said so, thats why? Dont use that tone with me!Eat those carrots, theyre good for your eyes. Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?Did you flush?You can be anything you want to, if you just set your mind to it.Theres enough dirt in those ears to grow potatoes!I dont care what everyone is doing, I care what you are doing!If you cant say something nice, dont say anything at all.I hope someday you have children just like you.Dont talk with your mouth full!Sit like a lady!Dont pick, itll get infected.Im not just talking to hear myself.Im going to give you until the count of three.Dont cross your eyes or theyll freeze that way.If you swallow a watermelon seed, a watermelon will grow out your ears.Text 6 When the Body SpeaksDid you know that in some parts of the world putting your hands on your hips is impolite? the thumbs-up sign is downright offensive? a wink is unacceptable?1. In Australia, it is rude to wink at women. 2. In Brazil, pulling down the lower lid of the right eye means that the listener doubts what you are saying. 3. In China, point with an open hand and beckon or signal with the hand facing palm down. To use a finger to point or beckon is rude. 4. In Hong Kong, only animals are beckoned with a finger. To signal someone to come to you, reach out, palm down and flutter your fingers. 5. In India, grasping your ear means either honestly or Im sorry. 6. In Indonesia, hands on hips while talking means that youre angry and is impolite. In Japan, it is an insult to point at someone with four fingers spread and thumb tucked in. In Korea, it is rude to blow your nose in front of people. 7. In Spain, snapping the thumb and first finger together a few times is a form of applause. If you think the person you are talking about is stingy, tap your left elbow with your right hand. If youve heard the story before, put your right hand behind your head and pull your left ear. 8. In Sri Lanka, moving your head from side to side means yes and nodding your head up and down means no! 9. In Thailand, people point to an object with their chins, not their hands. Thumbing your nose (raising your thumb to your nose and fanning your fingers) is a sign of mockery throughout most of the world.Text 7 The Tally StickBy Jarold RamseyHere from the start, from our first of days, look:I have carved our lives in secret on this stickof mountain mahogany the length of your armsoutstretched, the wood clear red, so hard and rare.It is time to touch and handle what we know we share.Near the butt, this intricate notch where the grainsconverge and join: it is our wedding.I can read it through with a thumb and tell you nowwho danced, who made up the songs, who meant us joy.These little arrowheads along the grain,they are the births of our children. See,they make a kind of design with these heavy crosses,the deaths of our parents, the loss of friends.Over it all as it goes, of course, Ihave chiseled Events, Historyrandomhash-marks cut against the swirling grain.See, here is the Year the World Went Wrong,we thought, and here the days the Great Men fell.The lengthening runes of our lives run through it all.See, our tally stick is whittled nearly end to end;delicate as scrimshaw, it would not bear you up.Regrets have polished it , hand over hand.Yet let us take it up, and as our fingerslike children leading on a trail cry backour unforgotten wonders, sign after sign,we will talk softly as of ordinary matters,and in one anothers blameless eyes go blind.Text 8 Elegy written in a country churchyardBy Thomas GrayThe curfew tolls the knell of parting day,The lowing herd wind slowly oer the lea,The plowman homeward plods his weary way,And leaves the world to darkness and to me.Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight,And all the air a solemn stillness holds,Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds:Text 9 Poor Richards AlmanacBenjamin Franklin1. Light purse, heavy heart.2. Hes a fool that makes his doctor his heir.3. Hunger never saw bad bread.4. Where theres marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.5. Do good to thy friend to keep him, to thy enemy to gain him.6. He that cannot obey, cannot command.7. Marry you son when you will, but your daughter when you can.8. Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.9. To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.10. Fish and visitors stink in three days.11. God heals, and the doctor takes the fees.12. There are no ugly loves, nor handsome prisons.13. Read much, but not many books.14. Let thy vices die before thee.15. He that falls in love with himself, will have no rivals.16. An old man in a house is a good sign.17. Write injuries in dust, benefits in marble.18. The way to be safe , is never to be secure.Text 10 Some Day My Prince Will CrawlA group of the womens liberation movement on Merseyside is rewriting fairy tales, in which men and women will be shown to have equal opportunities. (The Guardian)So Little Red Riding Hood took off her cloak, but when she climbed up on the bed she was astonished to see how her grandmother looked in her night-gown.Grandmother dear! she exclaimed, what big arms you have!All the better to hug you with, my child!Grandmother dear, what big ears you have!All the better to hear you with, my child!Grandmother dear, what big eyes you have!All the better to see you with, my child!Grandmother dear, what big teeth you have!All the better to eat you with, my child! With these words, the wicked Wolf leapt upon Little Red Riding Hood, and stopped a short right to the jaw. HAI! cried Little Red Riding Hood, giving a textbook karate jab to the ribs that brought the Wolf to its knees. AKACHO! screamed Little Red Riding Hood, following up with a neck chop, a double finger eye-prod, and a reverse groin kick. The Wolf coughed once, and expired on the rug. At that moment, the door of the little house flew open, and the woodchopper burst in, brandishing her axe. Little Red Riding Hood! he cried, are you all right?No thanks to you! snapped Little Red Riding Hood, snatching the axe from him, breaking it across her knee, and tossing it into the corner. And while youre at it , wash the dishes! With which she cracked her knuckles and strode out into the forest, slamming the door behind her.Text 11The MudbacksI see by the local paper that the New Jersey town where I live will hold a bicycle safety check next week. The chief or police will inspect bikes at the municipal parking lot; checking brakes, lights, sounding devices, reflectors, and general bike condition. Those bikes which are approved will be marked with a 1971 inspection sticker. I remember the bike I had when I was a kid. We didnt have bike inspections in those days, and it was a lucky thing. My bike would have flunked. Everybodys bike would have failed, mostly on general bike condition. Many safety devices were missing. One kid had no handle bars. And take reflectors. None of the bikes has reflectors because the reflectors were fastened to the fenders, and the fenders got torn off early in the game. Nobody worried about fenders; you worried about spokes. It was very important to have enough spokes so that the wheel remained more or less round. Each of my bike wheels had thirty-six spokes, and I found by experience that I couldnt afford to lose more than twenty. When a wheel lost too many spokes it began to sag and it was difficult to ride the bike fast. The whole point was to ride the bike fast. You could tell a really fast bike rider by the streak of mud up his back. I dont recall any of the bikes having sounding devices. The most popular device was the bike rider himself. He screamed when confronted by any obstacle, real or imaginary. There were three popular ways of stopping a bike-coaster brake,” hand brake, and hitting something. Less popular methods included accidentally sticking your foot in the front wheel or clamping hard on just the front hand brake, which made you do a tight little somersault over the handle bars. A safety inspection also would have produced penalty points for loose seats and handle bars caused by stripped bolts or no bolts, missing pedal parts, lack of air in the tires, or lack of tires to put air in. No bike would have had a prayer of passing a modern inspection. Its just as well. There was no place to put a sticker anyway. Text 12 The WaltzDorothy Parker Why, thank you so much, Id love to . I dont want to dance with him. I dont want to dance with anybody. And even if I did, it wouldnt be him. Hed be well down among the last ten. What can you say, when a man asks you to dance with him? I most certainly will not dance with you: Ill see you in the hell first. Why, thank you, Id like to awfully, but Im having labor pains. Oh, yes, do lets dance together. Why, I think its more of a waltz, really. Isnt it? We might just listen to the music a second. Shall we? Oh, yes, its a waltz. Mind? Why, Im simply thrilled. Id love to waltz with you. Id love to waltz with you. Id love to waltz with you. Id love to have my tonsils out. Id love to be in a midnight fire at sea. Well its too late now. Were getting underway-Ow! For Cods sake, dont kick, You idiot; this is only second down. Oh, no, no, no. Goodness, no. It didnt hurt the least little bit. And anyway it was my fault. Really it was. Truly. Well, youre just being sweet, to say that. It really was all my fault. I wonder what Id better do-kill him this instant, with my naked hands, or wait and let him drop in his tracks. Maybe its best not to make a scene. I guess Ill just lie low, and watch the pace get him. He cant keep this up indefinitely-hes only flesh and blood. Die he must, and die he shall, for what he did to me. Ow! Bet off my instep you hulking peasant? What do you think, I am, anyway-a gangplank? Ow! No, of course it didnt hurt. Why, it didnt a bit Honestly. And it was all my fault. You see, that little step of yours-well, its perfectly lovely; but its just a tiny bit tricky to follow at first. Oh, did you work it up yourself? You really did? Well, arent you amazing. Oh, now I think Ive got it. Oh, I think its lovely. I was watching you do it when you were dancing before. Its awfully effective when you look at it. Its awfully effective when you look at it. I bet Im awfully effective when you look at me. My hair is hanging along my cheeks, my skirt is swaddling about me. I can feel the cold damp of my brow, I must look like something out of the Fall of the House of Usher. Oh, theyre going to play another encore. Oh, goody. Oh, thats lovely. Tired? I should say Im not tired Id like to go on like this forever. I should say Im not tired. Im dead, thats all I am. Dead, and in what a cause. Im past all feeling now. The only way I can tell when he steps on me is that I can hear the splintering of bones. And all the events of my life are passing before my eyes. There was the time I was in a hurricane in the West Indies, there was the day I got my head cut open in the taxi smash, there was the night the drunken lady threw a bronze ashtray at her own true love and got me instead, there was that summer that the sailboat kept capsizing, Ah, what an easy, peaceful time was mine, until I fell in with Swifty, here. Oh, theyve stopped, the mean things. They are not going to play any more. Oh, Darn. Oh, do you think they would? Do you really think so, if you gave them twenty dollars? Oh, that would be lovely. And look, do tell them to play this same thing. Id simply adore to go on waltzing.Text 13 Animal ArsenalAnimals are equipped to protect themselves and to attack and kill in order to get food. Here are some of the body parts and methods animals use for defense and attack.1. Antlers: The deer family, including elk, moose, and caribou, use their antlers to charge and duel with their enemies.2. Camouflage: Coloring that matches or blends with an animals surroundings help the animal to hide. The Arctic fox, green tree frog, penguin, and polar bear are a few of the animals who use this method in defense.3. Claws: Bears, owls, and tigers are